Path of the Broken One
by Shinigami2509
Summary: It is always a challenge when faced with change. With knowledge of his heart condition and a fresh start Hisao must forge his own path in Yamaku High School. While having to deal with the difficulties caused by change.
1. Fresh Start

**A/N: Hey everyone, Shinigami2509 here with an attempt at fanfiction! Unlucky you right? I admit this is all new to me, as this is my first real attempt at writing (First story doesn't count! I was 12 gimme a break...). But anyways, since this is all new to me I would like to know how well, or crappy, my writing is and what I could change for the better. I would appreciate feedback in anyway, I look forward to getting better at writing!**

**Katawa Shoujo was made by 4 Leaf Studios, a talented group that created a masterpiece if I say so myself.**

**Fresh Start**

I signed wearily, couldn't help it. It's as if I stepped into a whole new world once I stepped through the gates of Yamaku Academy. I frowned, briefly wondering just how I should be feeling. Besides feeling like I didn't belong, I was numb. How should I feel?

Angry at my parents for forcing me here? Sure that's exactly how I felt once I heard the news, how else should you feel when you learn that you cannot return to the way things were...the way before you had a heart attack. Subconsciously my fist tightened as I thought back to my time at the hospital.

I hated it, despised it even. It made me feel lonely even with all of the medical staff around. At first it wasn't so bad. No, in fact it was almost enjoyable. For a week I felt like my stay there was nothing more than an uncomfortable experience that I would just have to endure. My parents, Iwanako, and my friends would visit often. Never knew just how much the moments I spent with them meant until my stay at the ward. I even joked to them that I gets to miss school and that I'll buy the first round of games at the arcade once I finally leave. It was just a way to lighten the mood when my "friends" visited , just a little joke to show I was fine. They smiled and for that moment I felt normal, like I didn't just find out I had a defective heart. Looking back on it their smiles felt fake, forced if only for my sake. They knew things would not be the same once I was out. I felt betrayed by that, my own friends lied to me and made me feel as though my life was not changed forever. The week slowly passed and reality sunk in. No one was concerned about me. All the get-well gifts were just a class project, there was no sympathy in them, only an obligation that it had to be done was the reason I received any gifts. Maybe some people were genuinely concerned for my well-being, I doubt it. Days turned to weeks and by the end of the month there were only three visitors; my parents and Iwanako.

Iwanako's visits were worse than the one with my friends and their lies, her's were hard on the both of us. We never talked about what happened on that snowy day, never talked about our feelings or what was said. It hung in the air between us with each visit and every day it went unspoken the harder it was to bring it up. After awhile she visited less and less until she stopped coming altogether. The only contact I got from other people were the occasional visits from my parents and the medical staff. The doctors and nurses made it worse, I didn't feel at ease with them around. They felt too impersonal and all business, which I guess is because of the fact that I'm nothing but another faceless patient they have to attend to.

For the first two months I was optimistic, always asking the head cardiologist for a rough estimate, some kind of guess as to when I could leave. He never answered.

Time went by without me knowing, everyday was the same to me save for the weather, and the book I was reading. Before the hospital I never read that much, turns out I liked to read. I loved the stories, they were an escape from my otherwise insufferable time there. The stories were the only way to get myself through my time there. I was an addict, this much I know. I started feeling naked without a book in hand, this may have been a worrying sign if I cared at all.

Even with books I couldn't escape my condition. At times it's nothing more than an irregular heartbeat I find myself hypnotized by, my own heartbeat disgusted me yet I couldn't ignore it. Other times my chest feels heavy and I find myself having trouble breathing. I could do nothing but lay in my bed and wait, wait for the pain to go away. It slowly diminishes until it is nothing but an irregular heartbeat I find my self hypnotized by. That was my life for months until that fateful day when the doctor came in to my room with my parents.

I close my book at the sight of them, they're dressed up as if this was some kind of special occasion. I though nothing of it, I was in my own little world with the barrier of nonchalance I had set up for my self. Still...I smile at them, they've been there for me the whole time and I let my defenses slip away with them around. That probably made what happened next worse. Eveything happened so fast. The unexpected news of my release, the list of medication, and the fact that I can not go back to my old life. I was to be sent to a "special" school for disabled students like me. For the first time in awhile I felt emotion. I was angry with the doctor for saying that, it was insulting. Not only was I angry at the doctor but I was also angry at my parents as well. How could they make such a choice for me? Was my opinion about my own life of little importance? I resented the notion that I had the final choice, they've already made their decision. It wasn't until I calmed down that I realized this is maybe just what I needed, a fresh start. I can't live my life the way I've been living it in the hospital, I have to try and get a grip on my own destiny and decide my own future. Maybe my parents motivated me in their own way at that time, it certainly made me take a step out of my shell and out towards the real world.

So there I was, past the iron gate staring off on to my new life, my disabled life filled with disabled people. With another sign I walk forward, enjoying the feeling. My time at the hospital gave me an appreciation for the little things in life, such as the simple action of moving forward. Moving at my own pace felt good and helped my mood a little. The future was still filled with uncertainty, but I'll face it my way at my own pace.

**A/N: I admit I was a bit nervous while writing this. I am uncertain as to how my writing actually is, but I guess I took the first step in amending that by posting this in the first place. Hope you enjoyed the first of many planned chapters to come!**


	2. Introductions

**A/N: Hey everyone, Shinigami2509 here with another chapter! I'm going to try and meet a deadline for these, at least one chapter a week with at least 4k words in each. To some that may not sound like much but it's still going to be something I strive for. Now things may come up that cause me to not meet that at times but I'll try my best to get them out around that time. Anyways let's get on with the story! **

**To demando- Thank you for the review man I appreciate it. Good luck with your writing as well, a few of your stories are in my favorites so happy writing to you too!**

**Katawa Shoujo was made by 4 Leaf Studios, a talented group that created a masterpiece if I say so myself.**

**Introductions**

Hisao walked towards through the campus of his new school, silently taking in all the sights. The area was surprisingly welcoming. The grounds were incredibly lush, plant life making it feel more like a park than any type of school he knew. Although that did little to help his mood. All the green of it just made him think back to the hospital, supposedly the operating rooms are painted green as a way to calm the patients. He shuddered, green was not a color he wanted to look at right now, it made his heart beat faster just thinking about it. He frowned as he looked down at the uniform he was wearing. The uniform normally was a two piece green suit with a simple white collared shirt underneath with a black tie. Formal, normal even for a school uniform. It wasn't much different to his old school's uniforms but he felt labeled by it. It marked him as someone with a problem and just walking in it made him feel self-conscious, as if people were guessing what was wrong with him. He chose to go without the jacket, the weather was warm and a jacket didn't sound too pleasing to wear. He idle wondered if this was a subconscious way of rebelling against this change in life, he never not wore his full uniform before, even in hot weather. He dismissed that train of thought as soon as it came, he was looking way too into things and decided on simply getting to the main building.

The walkways were clean and well kept after, the whole school grounds were like that. Not a single piece of trash or weed or anything that would so much as slightly diminish his aesthetically pleasing surroundings. He shuddered again, the more he thought about it the more the school seemed similar to a hospital. Everything was so clean, so... hygienic. He once more stopped that line of thought, it would do no good to sulk on past problems, _this is your new life_ he reprimand himself, _you have to take it as it comes_,

Finally getting his mind under control Hisao noticed a figure running towards one of the few big buildings looming behind the leafy canopies. It was comforting to see another living being around and as she grew closer he was able to see a few features about her. She was shorter than him and had on what appears to be a PE uniform. She had light brown hair in a twintails fashion. Her most unique feature though was her legs, or lack of legs. Her flesh ends at her shins and underneath that was some black metallic or plastic-like material. The young man could do nothing but watch as the girl ran out of sight and into one of the building, perhaps she was late for class? Once more, he halted his train of thought and walked towards the main building at a faster pace than moments before. It would be bad to be late on his first day after all. A thought nagged in the back of his mind during this though. _How do I act around people like that? Just how am I suppose to act here in general? Not everyone's problems are internal like mine and some are obvious like that girl's. Is our problems what define us here? Is she the leg-less wonder and am I heartless?_ Hisao scolded himself for even thinking like that, even if he didn't voice it out-loud it was quite rude to even think like that. He found himself signing again, his optimism sure didn't last that long. With that thought in his mind he stepped through the front door.

The first thing he noticed walking into the lobby was a tall man with a bad posture. He had short, spiky black hair and looked as though he didn't get enough sleep the night before. The man noticed him too, being the only people in the lobby it would be hard not to notice each other.

"Your must be... Ni... Na... Niki?" The tall man fumbled around with his name, looking confused which Hisao thought to himself was because of his poor remembrance of his name. _This must be who I'm suppose to meet._

"Nakai" Hisao corrected the man. He wasn't all that troubled by the man's attempt at his name. It certainly helped his mood to see someone acting normal around, a bit with a problem with his memory but still.

"So you are. Excellent. I'm your homeroom and science teacher. My name is Mutou." The now named man said. "Welcome."

We exchange a handshake that is neither firm nor sloppy, just normal. He looked at his watch before continuing. "The head nurse asked you for a brief check-in visit, but there's no time for that now." Hisao felt sheepish, he was running late.

"Oh. Should I got later?" Hisao asked, immediately feeling foolish for saying that. Of course he should go later, this was a school for people with disabilities so it's not surprising that the nurse wants to meet him. If Mutou noticed his embarrassment he gave no indication to the matter, he just looked at his watch again.

"Yes, afternoon is probably fine. We should get going and introduce you to the rest of the class. They're waiting already." Shit, they're waiting for him. Hisao felt his nervousness reach it's peak, he was never one to be the center of attention and his time in the hospital only heightened the feeling. He closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down, his heart was beating at a dangerous pace. It's one thing to be in front of a classroom introducing yourself, it's an entirely different matter to have a heart attack in front of them. He took several deep breaths hoping his heart would slow to a safe tempo, it worked. As Hisao opened his eyes he noticed Mutou give him a worrying look, only now realizing just how troubling his brief episode may look to others Hisao gave him a reasurring smile. Although he wondered if it was for his new teacher's, or his own reassurance.

"Hey are you alright? Do you want to go to the nurse now and meet the class later?" Mutou awkwardly stated, trying to help him in some way. Hisao felt a glimmer of hope, a way out of this situation before common-sense crushed such thoughts. _It's best to get it over with now, it would only get harder the longer I put it off._

"It's alright, I'm fine. It's just my nerves, this is all a big change for me and I'm a little overwhelmed by it all." He may not be telling Mutou the full story but he wasn't lying either. He was nervous and so far Yamaku High School felt alien to him.

"If your sure. Let's go then." Mutou gave one more awkward smile as he turned and lead Hisao up the stairs. They stopped on the third floor and walked to the third room down the corridor. The classroom was, unsurprisingly, 3-3. Mutou opened the door and walked in, leaving it open for me. He was addressing the class, greeting them and apologizing for being late. The casual occurrence lifted his mood even more. It was just like any other classroom, with a teacher and disabled students. He found himself frozen in place, unable to move. It seems he still didn't have his nerves under control after all. He mentally scolded himself once more, theres no point in worrying so much about. _I just got to go with the flow_ Hisao thought to himself, with that in mind he entered his new homeroom.

As he walked in he gazed around the class, it was much more spacious than his old classes, with a smaller amount of kids too. It was sparsely decorated, only blackboards and the windows were on the walls, which only seemed to make it larger. The ceiling was unusually high as well. Briefly he thought back to one of his old teachers, he remembered her saying high ceilings activated abstract thinking and thoughts of freedom. He forced himself not to shudder. It seemed the more the school tried to make itself calming and peaceful, the more unease he felt about it.

He faced the students taking in their appearance, they all look like normal students. He didn't know what to expect walking in, missing limbs and cane wielding students? He noticed a tan girl with dark hair in the front row without a left hand, her arm ended in a stump with bandages wrapped around it. It was a little unnerving. Hisao tuned out Mutou and looked around the room once more. he noticed a boy with a cane leaning against the back wall. His previous thoughts threatened to return before he adverted his eyes, noticing a striking girl with long, straight hair looking right at him. As soon as their gaze's meet she looked away, trying to make herself invisible it seemed. _Such a shy girl_ he mused, sweeping his gaze once more. His train of thought vanished when he focused on another person.

It was a girl with **Bright Pink Hair** in the shape of **Drills**. He wondered how early she must wake up to style her hair in such a way, he wondered why she dyed her hair pink for that matter. It was... eye catching to say the least. He must have been staring for awhile cause she turned her attention from the teacher and smiled at him cheerily. Golden eyes closed in smile of their own. It looked natural on her, like she was never unhappy. He saw the girl next to her poke her and begin to do a series of hand motions. _Must be deaf_ he mused once more, almost missing his que to introduce himself.

"...please welcome our newest classmate." Hisao felt panicked, what was he going to say? He's going to sound like an idiot! Why does he have to do this?

Hisao took a moment to look at his fellow students once more, taking in their appearances. All eyes were on him now and he found himself at a loss for words.

"I'm... I'm Hisao Nakai." He started awkwardly, this wasn't easy. He must be boring everyone but what could he say? He stole a glance at the girl in the front with one hand, immediately feeling like an idiot. He's doing exactly what he feared others would do to him, labeling others based on their conditions. This was his new life damnit! It's time to stop sulking. He straightened his posture before steeling his gaze out on to the class. Trying to not see disabilities, only fellow students.

"My name is Hisao Nakai. My hobbies are reading and soccer. I dislike arrogance and those that pity others. It's an honor to be apart of this class and I hope to get along with everyone." He finished with a bow.

**A/N: And so ends chapter two! Sorry for it beings fairly close to the game so far, but it WILL branch off later on. Just character and plot development so far. Now I have a question to ask everyone. Who should Hisao be paired up with? I plan on having all of the girls play an important part in the story but I don't know who the love interest should be. I know a few would want a harem but I guess it will just have to depend on the majority vote. I'll set up a poll for this or you could just leave your choice in the review section (it's a cool place, you should go there and leave a review _)**


	3. First Day Fright

**A/N: Hey everyone, Shinigami2509 here with another chapter! Sorry this took so long but I had to make up school work due to me being ill, as well as prepare for my exams coming up. Not fun ;~; anyways on with the chapter! By the way I did a little editing on chapter 2. Just a few errors corrected as well as adding a few changes. Nothing major, just some little things that bothered me.**

**Katawa Shoujo was made by 4 Leaf Studios, a talented group that created a masterpiece if I say so myself.**

**First Day Fright**

Hisao signed in relief once Mutou took over. Everything went better than he expected. Everyone seemed satisfied with what he said and now Mutou was droning on about getting along, generic new student speech. Everyone listened intently to him, clapping their hands once he finished. The dark haired girl in the front clapped with her right hand against her bandaged stump, it was kind of depressing yet inspiring as well. It was a small way around her disability but it was still an adaptation to her problem, Hisao hoped he could do something similar. Mutou turned towards him and addressed him directly.

"We're going to be doing some group work today, so that'll give you a chance to get to know some other students. Is that okay with you?" Hisao nodded to him and Mutou directed him to work with the class representative, a girl named Hakamichi. As the teacher passed out the assignment and gave instructions to everyone it occurred to him that he don't know who Hakamichi is. He felt embarrassed for not noticing such an important detail before seeing the only available desk was next to the cheerily pink drills girl. _She must be Hakamichi _he thought, making his was towards the empty desk next to the window.

"Hey, you're Hakamichi, right? It's nice to meet you." Hisao tells her as he sits down. What happened next threw him off-guard, she _laughed._

"Hahaha~!" The strange pink girl gave off a loud laugh, one that made Hisao think it may be a common occurrence for her. "It's nice to meet you too! But~! I'm not Hakamichi, I'm Misha! This is Hakamichi. Shicchan~!" The bubbly girl giggled as she pointed to the girl next to her, the deaf girl if Hisao guessed right. He felt a bit guilty for guessing but it was rather obvious. She nods once at him, nonchalantly as if he was unimportant. He felt a bit subconscious from that look. Hakamichi had dark blue hair neatly brushed, glasses, and dark blue eyes. All in all she was rather attracting Hisao admited to himself.

"Sorry, It's nice to meet you Misha, Hakamichi." He tried again, this time getting their names correct. Misha smiled at him and Hakamichi made a few gestures with her hands, soon they appeared to be in their own conversation. Hisao noticed that Misha seemed to sign while both him and her talked, probably to keep Hakamichi in the conversation. It was impressive how she could use two languages in sync the way she does. "So your Hakamichi's translator correct?" He asked, voicing his thoughts out-loud. Misha nodded.

"Yep~! She says it's nice to meet you too!" Misha's smile never seemed to leave her face, or even shrink in the slightest. In fact, it only seemed to grow larger. Hakamichi did more hand gestures, which Misha quickly translated for Hisao's behalf. "You're the new student, aren't you? Well, Shicchan, of course he is! If he wasn't he would have been standing up there for no reason!" Misha giggled again. he got the feeling it wasn't just Hakamichi talking, non the less Misha continued. "He seems like a very interesting person! We knew a new student was coming, but we didn't know it was today. So soon Hicchan, right?" Hisao cringed at that nickname. He never liked it, yet it followed him where ever he went. Misha must of noticed his discomfort because she gave off another laugh, amused by the newly dubbed Hicchan. Hakamichi taps her desk, upon getting her attention their hands blur in silent conversation. He felt a bit put off by that. Although Misha signs everything he says they're still entitled to their own private conversations. Non the less he bared with it, it was such a small thing to get worked up about anyways. He sat patiently waiting for them to finally finish, eyes wandering across the classroom to all the students.

Almost all the other students formed groups of three or four, similar to their own. Yet, the shy girl in the back seemed to be by herself. Didn't seem to bother her at all though, she just worked quietly alone. He could respect that, everyone worked differently after all. She looked up, apparently sensing him staring at her. They eyes met and Hisao got the impression of a deer in headlights the way she looked at him, like he was a serial killer or something. He gave her a small smile, hoping it might put her at ease. Didn't seem to work. She averted her eyes and stared down at her paper again, trying to make herself invisible once more. He felt bad. Like he did something wrong. _She must be the shyest person I've ever met_ he thought, turning towards Misha and Hakamichi once more. It seems they just finished their conversation too. Misha seemed overwhelmed , trying to keep up with Hakamichi must be hard work.

Misha starts with another laugh and apologizes for her and Hakamichi's long chat before going on and asking him about his opinion of the school so far. He briefly thinks about that. It's definitively still alien to him, but at least he felt comfortable with the class, more or less. When he mentioned the fact that he went straight there without looking around Misha laughed again. Her hair shaking in merriment before re-priming him for not familiarizing himself with his surrounding before hand. Hisao didn't know what to think about her. In the short time he knew her she was never once without a smile, always laughing. It was a mystery how her and Hakamichi got along, they were almost polar opposites in every way! He slumped in his seat, he may have started changing his perspective but somethings were hard to leave behind. He didn't know what brought it on and it annoyed him further for not realizing it. Another sign escaped him, he really was making that into a bad habit.

"You look down, are you okay?" He looked up at Misha, who looked back to him with a worried expression. Hakamichi signed something that he couldn't understand, it really made conversations difficult with Misha being the only one to know exactly what she was saying. Misha continues. "Don't take it the wrong way, please~! I hate it when people are afraid too ask question! That's how people learn things, by asking~!" She thought he was depressed about that? Sure he's still a little upset with being there still but that wasn't what had him in a slump. Although what was he hung up about? He himself had no idea.

"Yeah... alright thanks." Hisao tried to ease her worries over him, it was unnecessary for her to do so after all. She gave another one of her trademark laughs before she herself straightened up, apparently glad he was alright.

"Ah, and another thing." She began, getting back to what she was trying to say to him before. "You don't have to call Shicchan something so formal like 'Hakamichi' all the time! Just call her Shicchan~!" Shicchan blushed once Misha translated that for her, it may have been a little too much for her. Misha just laughed again. "Ahaha~! Okay, maybe that's too casual. Maybe 'Shizune' would be more appropriate?" Shizune gave a satisfied nod, pleased with the middle grounds they established. Hisao chuckled at that, she seemed so satisfied with herself over the littlest things. Like no matter what she had to be on top of whatever was going on.

"Heh, okay with me. Shizune it is." Although they got off on a bad start in his mind, things worked out in the end. Both Misha and Shizune seemed friendly enough. Although he didn't know whether it was just cause he was new or not. Still, he was thankful for their help settling himself into things. Shizune signed something else that made Misha look sheepish.

"Oh right, we haven't even touched the assignment! We should start now, before Shicchan gets mad~!" She finished with a giggle before we set off to work on the assignment. Just in time too, Shizune was already beginning to glare at the two of them impatiently. They certainly didn't take their time with it, with even the slightest pause from either Hisao or Misha earned another glare from her. It was almost humorous how competitive she could be at times. Time passed by and by the time they were done there was a few minutes left in class, beating everyone even with their late start. As the bell marks the end of the period Hisao found himself whisked away by his two classmates to the cafeteria. Misha is quick to point it out

"It's the cafeteria~!" Hisao wondered just how she could be so enthusiastic about such an obvious observation. It certainly drew a few stares from the people around them but that didn't faze her in the slightest. They quickly went through the lunch line and sat down at a table together. Hisao took one bite of the food before grimacing, it was rather tasteless in his opinion. Although it certainly beat the food he had to eat at the hospital by a long shot, he would rather starve than eat whatever they called 'food' there again. It was not until he was poked by Misha that he realized Shizune wanted his attention. She signed at him than paused, staring at him expectantly. Did she believe he understood her? Not by a longshot. He turned to Misha, who was _still smiling_, waiting until she translated for him. She giggled, obviously bemused by his hopeless state. "Do you want to know something?" She asked him.

"About what?" He inquired.

"About anything! We're your guides so you should ask us anything and everything you need to know!" Once more she giggled, as if she told an amusing joke that only she gets. He didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed by that, he felt a weird mixture of both emotions. Thinking about it, yes, he did have a question. He almost finished the book he had and needed to get a few more.

"There's a library here right? I'm in need of something new to read." Once more he found himself shocked by Misha, for once she _frowned_. Seemed as though she didn't have his passion for reading. As quickly as it appeared it disappeared just as quickly when she smiled again.

"There is~! It's on the second floor, we can show it to you sometime!" Misha answered with much enthusiasm. He thanked her before returning to his meal, allowing the two of them to converse between themselves. They signed back and forth with speeds that he didn't think he could even talk at. They threw sideway glances at him every once and a while. Misha refrained from translation any of it in the slightest. _Not fair Misha, not fair at all_ he thought dryly to himself.

Hanako sat silently in her seat, reading a book before class started. She glanced at the clock, eyes widening before she tried to calm herself down. She lost track of time again and now everyone was going to start entering the classroom. She closed her eyes to calm down, she didn't want to panic and cause attention to herself. The very thought made her heart beat even faster then it already was. She put her book away and simply sat there, staring at nothing. There was no need to cause any unwanted attention towards her, the more unassuming she was the better. Oh how she wished she could simply vanish sometimes. To simply not be around others would be a blessing, or to be with Lily. For the tenth time that day she wished Lily was there besides her. Lunch ended too soon for her and now she was left alone to be with strangers, _judging_ strangers. Her heart rang in her ears and she took a moment to calm herself, wishing her scarred body would stop shaking already. She nearly had it down before a pink blur slammed into the class.

Misha practically crashed into the room with the elegance of a rhino. Hisao and Shizune filing in behind her. He couldn't help but wince, Misha was an all around **Loud **individual. They were earlier than most of their classmates, except the shy girl who was sitting in the back row. Upon noticing them she once more attempted invisibility, shrinking deeper into her seat than he thought possible. Her tension was almost suffocating to him, yet Misha and Shizune seemed clueless to it all. The two just sat in their respective seats and began conversing animatedly. It was strange how people just overlooked things like that. Some kind of unspoken code?

By the time he became aware of his surroundings he was **sitting next to her.** He blinked, looking around while the class slowly began to fill. Wait...What was he doing? He looked next to him at the girl. She seemed to be thinking the same thing. She was shaking, looking ready to dart out of the room at any moment. _Stupid stupid Hisao! What were you thinking! She's going to have a heart attack because of you! _He cursed to himself, he felt guilty for sitting there. It was as if he was physically hurting her by just being next to her. It was too late now to sit anywhere else, doing so would bring attention to the poor girl next to him and that didn't sound good for her health in the slightest. He had to do something, the girl was practically hyperventilating as it is.

"Hi, I'm Hisao. What's your name?" He winced at the lame attempt to say something. He couldn't have thought of any other way to break the ice? The girl fidgeted before replying.

"I-...I'm Hanako. Ni... Nice to mee... meet you Hisao." Hanako replied to him. He almost didn't hear her. She spoke so quietly that it was nearly impossible to hear other the other conversations going on on the other side of the room. At least she said something though, even if it was just out of courtesy. It was like she simply resigned to having to be near him. His thought is only strengthened by her attempt to appear unassuming once more, looking the other way to stare at the wall.

"Hanako, what a lovely name. I'm sorry if I'm intruding on you, but it's nice to meet you too." Hisao smiled at her again, trying in someway to calm her down. He took the fact that she didn't run away as an improvement. He remembered in homeroom when all he did was meet her gaze, she looked down right terrified then! She turned back to him, apparently surprised by his reaction? _Why was she so defensiv...oh, that's why..._ When she turned Hisao got a glimpse at the right side of her face, usually hidden by her hair. It was badly scarred. Angry red lines swirled around, forming patterns of damaged skin. He quickly diverted his eyes to her left eye, hoping she didn't notice his slip up. By the looks of it he failed terribly. She must of saw him starring cause she shrunk back in her seat once more, trying to hide her scars from him. He felt guilty once more. This girl made him feel as though he was stepping on eggshells by just being next to her. Let alone having an actual conversation. He had to do something fast, she looked like she was preparing to jump up and run out if the room.

"I'm sorry for startling you, I don't quite know why I sat here. I'm a fool when it comes to cute girls." Hisao smiled at her again, silently hoping that helped in someway. Girls like being complimented right? It put them at ease right? Hisao didn't know what to do, he didn't have much experience with how girls thought. He had one girlfriend for about three seconds before having a heart attack!

He glanced towards Hanako, she was beet-red now. She must not get complimented much if that's all it took to make her bashful. He wasn't lying either, she was cute. The teacher soon walked in and class began. He stole a few glances at Hanako throughout the class, she was quietly writing down what the teacher written on the board. She still seemed a little nervous around him, but at least she didn't run away like he feared she would. He turned back to his own paper, it would do him no good to fall behind already.

Before long the final bell rings, signaling the end of school for the day. Hisao stiffed a yawn before standing up and stretching, his first day and he was already tired. He blamed the hospital for that though, that long of time without doing much activity would surely make anyone weak. Although he did have an eventful day. He turned towards Hanako, who seemed ready to dash away to wherever she needed to go, probably somewhere with very few people around.

"It's been a pleasure Hanako, see you around alright?" Hisao said to her. Once more he was being truthful. Even with the awkward beginning it wasn't entire unpleasant to be around her. She turned towards him, not expecting him to talk to her.

"Yes, s... see you around His... Hisao." With that she walked off, the rush died down to a manageable level for her to leave. Hisao looked around the class, finding the only remaining students around were Misha and Shizune. They were in the middle of conversation but seemed to be waiting for him. _Oh hell no._ He quickly exited the room himself, escaping whatever fate they had planned for him. It wasn't anything personal, he just could only handle so much Misha in one day and being tired certainly didn't help change his mind in the slightest. He blended in with the flow of students and soon found himself outside, roaming around the school grounds. He didn't know why but he felt claustrophobic. He needed to clear his mind and just review what happened so far. It was intimidating the amount of change that happened to him so soon. He found himself walking along the wall of the campus, soon coming across a small back gate. It looked the same compared to the main gate, except this one was rusty and sat open. For any and all to come and go as they pleased. He hesitated for a moment before walking through the old gate and into the forest past it.

If Hisao was thinking clearly he may have turned back, may have not left the school grounds at all. But with his mind wandering his body went on auto-pilot, mainly following the path deeper and deeper into the forest. The tress rustled in the wind but he didn't notice. The path made detours up and downhill at times but he didn't notice. He finally returned to the outside world when stopped in a clearing to catch his breath. He felt annoyed with himself, it seemed he's been almost sleepwalking throughout the whole day. His train of thought vanished when he realized he wasn't the only person there.

There, sitting underneath a particularly large maple was a short-haired girl. She had red hair and emerald-green eyes, which gave off the impression of a deer in headlights._ Why does everyone act like that when they meet me?_ Hisao couldn't help but feel self-conscious all of a sudden, was he intimidating or something? He silently took in the rest of her. She must have been a student at Yamaku too because she wore the uniform, although curiously it was a boy's uniform. His hypothesis was furthered strengthened by her apparent lack of hands. Her sleeves were tied off at elbow length and flapped softly in the breeze of the afternoon. They continue to stare at each other, no one saying anything. Hisao didn't know what to say and the girl seemed content to just look at him. He was starting to feel uneasy until mercifully she finally talked.

"Hello." The red-haired girl said to him before leaning back against the tall tree once more.

**A/N: Annnnd that's a wrap! I have to admit it's becoming easier to write the more I work on this. Practice makes perfect right? Still have a lot of practicing to do though... Anyways! Let's chat about a few things shall we?**

**To start off I want to thank everyone who reviewed this so far, you guys are the best! I started this off only expecting 1-2 reviews tops for the first few chapters but 5? That exceeds my expectation and makes writing this much more enjoyable. With the fact that people actually like my writing I find myself wanting to write more, it's as if I'd be letting you down if I did any less.**

**Lastly, I've been going through your choices on the pairings so far and right now it's at a stand-still. I love the diversity in choices but at the same time it's somewhat a problem. There's no real leading pairing as of now but it's not a big deal for now. If I were to guess it would be around 3-4 chapters before the pairing becomes finalized.**

**As always I hope you enjoyed the story! Be sure to leave any feedback you may have and thanks for reading!**

**Results so far:**

**Harem- 2**

**Lily- 1**

**Hanako- 1**

**Emi- 1**

**Suzu- 1**

**Miki- 1**

**Saki- 1**

**I may need some help with the bottom 3. I know who Miki is, but I don't know who Suzu or Saki are...**


	4. More Introductions?

**A/N: Hey everyone, Shinigami2509 here with chapter 4! I actually learned some new things about this site, mainly the Traffic Stats. I learned that there was way more people than I've expected reading this! Over 100 hits! It may be a little strange that I didn't know about this feature before but gimme a break! When I normally browse FF I use my phone, which doesn't have even half the features the normal site has. Still doesn't make me feel like less of an idiot though... Moving on with the story!**

**Katawa Shoujo was made by 4 Leaf Studios, a talented group that created a masterpiece if I say so myself.**

**More Introductions?**

Silence fallen upon the duo as soon as the girl greeted Hisao. _That's it? That's all she had to say?_ He didn't know what to think. The bluntness of the statement threw him off-guard. The girl continued to stare at him expectantly, completely at ease with the awkward silence. Just waiting for his reply he guessed.

"Umm... hello. Sorry for interrupting... whatever it was that you were doing, I was just taking a walk and didn't notice where I was heading." Hisao said, finally making his voice heard over the deafening silence. The girl's expression didn't change, she merely blinked at him before opening her mouth once more.

"That's not good, that's how you get lost you know." The girl replied. Hisao blinked, he wasn't expecting that. Maybe a comment to wave off his apology or something, he wondered if she was making a joke at his expense. It certainly appeared so.

"Yeah... I guess you're right. It's been a long day for me and I've been out of it." Hisao hoped that would justify his actions. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to explain himself to her. Once more her reply threw him in a loop.

The girl raised her eyebrows as if he was wrong. "That's not right. There's always 24 hours in a day. Everyday has the same amount of time. None are longer or shorter than the other." Wait... What? He didn't know if she was joking with him or not. Her deadpan manner of talking made it hard to determine.

"Ahh... I guess your right." He didn't know what to say to her. He felt like she was going to pick apart whatever he said. "Anyways I'm Nakai, Hisao Nakai. I just transferred in this morning." He changed the subject, hoping she didn't notice her effect on him. She was like Hanako in a way, always making him feel like he was walking on eggshells.

"I'm Rin. Tezuka Rin. Rin Tezuka." Rin answered him. "I won't shake hands with you, but at least we know who we are now." She smiled softly. "That's very nice." He didn't know what to think, her complete disregard for her lack of hands was both amusing and inappropriate. It was hardly something to joke about. Although it was her own condition. Was that what people did? Make light of their situation? Was an admirable action he had to admit, even with such a disability Rin acts like it's no big deal. "Watching the clouds."

"What was that?"

"I was watching the clouds before you walked in. Can you walk into a place outdoors?" Her eyes focused on him again, awaiting his thoughts on her question. Hisao was quickly getting the impression that she was the strangest person he's ever met.

"Well... it depends on how you look at it. 'Walking into a place' generally means actually entering a building but it can be used location-wise. Like how I walked into this clearing. By the way why are you even here?" Hisao jumped at the chance to change topics. Rin seemed content with whatever was going on but he certainly wasn't.

"Are you blind? I don't have any hands." As if to emphasize her point Rin shook her sleeves, causing them to flail wildly before returning her gaze on him with an overtly contemplative look on her face. "Come to think of it, you certainly don't act blind. Perhaps partially?"

_When did this turn into a guessing game about my condition?_

"Not that, I mean here, in this clearing." He silently thought back to his earlier thought. He may have been on to something, it definitely appeared like she was toying with him.

"Cloud watching." Rin looked ready to make another attempt at his condition, perhaps about being partially deaf as well.

"I know that already, but why go all the way out here to do that? You could easily watch the clouds from school." He pressed on. If there's one thing he's learning about Rin it's to be as specific as possible. Leave nothing to interpretation. Emerald eyes regarded him for a moment before she looked back up to the setting sky.

"No one's here."

"Doesn't that mean you're here, then?" Hisao felt a brief moment of pride at turning the tables. Rin turned towards him again. Raising her eyebrows as if she was suspecting his observation was false.

"You're pretty observant. I guess it does." Once more she turned away. Done with the chat it seemed. Moments passed until Rin scooted over, placing herself closer to one side of the tree. "Come look."

"What, the clouds?"

"Yes." With little else to do he obligated. He made his way over to Rin before sitting down next to her. Grey eyes focusing on the sky much like his acquaintance's green ones. The orange hue of the setting sun filled the sky. The visible mass of liquid droplets drifted lazily across it. He had to admit it was quite peaceful, it must be why Rin choose the spot. He turned to his companion to find her still staring at the clouds, completely absorbed with their movements. Hisao turned back to the sky and observed with her, no words spoken during this time. It was unnecessary.

Although it was relaxing Hisao knew it was time to go. It was almost dark and making their way back to school would be difficult without visibility. With a sign he pushed himself up, stretching to get feeling back into his limbs. He turned towards Rin, who was still looking skywards.

"We should get going now, it's getting dark." Hisao told her.

She continued to look up, barely acknowledging his statement. "...Don't want to."

"It's getting late Rin. We should really start heading back." He tried persuading her. Although knowing Rin he'll need more than that to get her moving.

Rin finally tore her eyes away from the sky, which by now was much darker than before. "I don't feel like moving."

He signed. Why was talking to Rin like talking to a child? He kneeled down to Rin's level. Grabbing a hold of her and with a little effort, lifted her up and put her on his back. Due to her lack of hands he shifted his arms underneath her legs, supporting her so she wouldn't fall. Once getting into a more comfortable position he took off on the path back to Yamaku. During this time Rin didn't say a single word. She merely regarded Hisao with curious eyes.

"What are you doing?" Rin finally spoke up.

Hisao continued walking. "You didn't feel like moving and I couldn't just leave you there." He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. "It's the least a gentleman can do." He turned his attention back on the path, which started to take an uphill direction. Rin didn't reply. She looked at him for a while before resting her head on his shoulder. Getting into a some-what comfortable position. Silence fallen on them once more. For once it wasn't awkward.

* * *

It was nighttime once they finally reached Yamaku. Hisao hoped to reach the dormitories before a staff-member notices them. He didn't know what time curfew was, but he was certain it was past that. Silently cursing himself for not having a watch he made his way to the girl's dormitories. He still had Rin with him after all.

The walk was rather uneventful for the most part. A few staff-members were around, probably in the case of someone in need of medical attention. As well as enforcing curfew. Hisao would duck behind one of the many trees on campus or around a corner when one came too close. For once he was glad that Rin was so quiet, if it was Misha they would have been caught by now.

"My my. Doing something illegal are we?" A voice called out behind them. Hisao jump with a start, quickly turning around to see who was there. Behind him stood a young purple-haired man, looking no older than his 20s. He wore a white coat, much like all the doctors and nurses Hisao saw before. What freaked Hisao out though was not his clothing, no, rather it was the man's smile.

_Please don't be another Misha. Please don't be another Misha. Please don't be another Misha._

"No sir. We were just out longer than we were suppose to and making our way back now." The man's smile never left his face.

"Is that so? Seems to me that you two were out for a romantic date." His smile only grew the more he talked. "I mean, here you are sneaking back into school with a girl draped on your back. It points to some intimacy now doesn't it?" Hisao blushed, causing the man to laugh. "Your the new student aren't you? I never seen you around before. You work fast now don't you?" The man teased even more. Hisao really wished Rin chose to walk instead of making him carry her. It would have saved him a lot of embarrassment.

As if on que Rin peeked her head over his shoulder. "Nurse."

The nurse smiled over Hisao. "Rin! Out late again I see. And with a boy no less." The man mock scolded her.

Rin merely stared at him. "Was cloud watching." The man only kept on smiling and gestured to his back. "Didn't feel like walking." As if that answered all of his questions the nurse nodded. Rin went back to resting her head on Hisao's shoulder.

The nurse focused on him once more. "And you young man. I distinctively remember you having an appointment with me this evening." He grinned his fox-like grin again. "A little late now aren't you?" Hisao felt sheepish. He completely forgot about that.

"Sorry about that, I'm still settling in and that was the last thing on my mind." He answered. The nurse simply nodded his head

"I understand. It is your first day after all. Stop by my office first thing in the morning and we can do it then. Does that suit you?" The nurse asked. Hisao nodded which made him smile again. "Good. Good. Now move along now, don't want anyone getting the wrong ideas about you two now do you?" He laughed again when Hisao nodded his head before turning away to get to the dormitories. Hisao had to admit, he wasn't like the other medical staff he met before. He was a pleasant person, even with the fact he was a nurse.

The man watched him as he left, speaking up before he got too far away. "Remember to use protection!" Hisao could just picture the man's grin as he hurried away. He heard his laugh well after Rin and him walked into the girl's dormitories.

_Definitely not like other nurses._

* * *

It took a little effort to get Rin to finally point him towards her room. She has yet to get off of him, content on letting him do all of the walking for her. He was just glad that no one was around to witness this though. The nurse was right, seeing a guy carrying a girl up to her room could definitely be interpreted the wrong way. He didn't need that on his first day. At least some good came out of being late. Chances are no one was up during all of it.

Finally getting to the correct door; a plain and unmarked door to a probably equally bland room. He tried shifting Rin so he could open the door but he had no such luck. His arms were already in use supporting her. Imagine his surprise when a slender leg looped around him, and skillfully opened the door with ease. He turned towards Rin in shock, who still had her head down. She was pretty dexterous with her feet. An adaptation to her disability most likely. If he was in a normal state of mind he may have thought it was inspirational, but right now all he wanted to do was get to his room and get some rest. Thinking about it, he has yet to even see his room! It was a very eventful day indeed.

He walked into the darkened room, stopping to allow his eyes to adjust to the lack of light. The sudden light illuminating the room startled him before realizing it was only Rin finding the light switch. Now with light he was able to finally get a good look of the room they were in. It all looked very normal, surprising considering who the room belonged to. What stood out was the strange paintings hung on the walls. There were about a dozen of them, all in a very similar style._ Rin must really like the artist who made these_ Hisao mused, looking around the four walls. The paintings took up most of the space. The few, _very few_ spaces not filled with them were filled with art posters. Completely unremarkable compared to the paintings in his mind. It was no secret that Hisao didn't understand art and these paintings were no exception. If he had to sum them all up he would say they were rather abstract, very difficult to comprehend.

Hisao yawned, breaking his train-of-thought. It was getting late and he still had to get to the boy's dormitories. He walked over to the bed and lifted Rin off his back and onto it. She did nothing during this time, she just stared at him with those expectant eyes of her's. He pulled the covers over her small frame and made sure everything was alright before standing up and stretching. He didn't know exactly why he did that. Maybe even after the awkwardness and embarrassment caused by Rin, she still grew on him in a way.

He gave off another yawn, realizing just how screwed he was the next day. He was definitely not getting a full nights sleep.

He turned to walk out, pausing only when he reached the door. He looked over to Rin who looked ready to fall asleep at any moment. "It's been fun Rin. Hope we can do it again sometime." He could do without the whole sneaking into school thing but besides that, yeah it was pretty fun. He stood there, silently waiting for a reply before remembering just who he was talking to.

Rin peeked through her auburn red hair. "Don't feel obliged to stay, I'm about to fall asleep anyway. Or perhaps you like to watch girls sleeping?" Rin yawned, yet still looked serious about her question.

Hisao was too tired to put up much of a fight, he merely yawned as well. "Even if I did, I think I have to get going. I need to sleep too after all. Goodnight Rin." He shut off her light and walked out of the room.

"See you later, Hisao." The simple goodbye caught him off-guard. He looked back into the darkened room, eyes resting on the general location of the girl in there. A small smile was shared between them before he shut the door.

Rin was definitely the strangest person he's ever met. This much he was sure of.

* * *

Getting to his dorm was much easier than Rin's. His path had little to non staff-members around so he didn't have to sneak. He simply walked in and made his way up to his room. Once finding it, and opening the door he saw it was very similar to Rin's own room. Relying on recent memories he easily found the light switch and turned the lights on.

If he was anymore awake he would have looked around for a bit. But as it was now he just wanted to go to bed. He stumbled towards the night table. Bottles of medication neatly arranged upon it. Going through the tedious process of making sure he wouldn't die before turning off the lights. He made his way towards the very comfortable looking bed before falling face-first onto it.

He was out before his head reached the pillow.

**A/N: I don't know why, but I feel... displeased with this chapter. It looks alright but it just _didn't __turn out_ the way I wanted it too. I want to blame my mediocre writing skills for that. The scene in my mind turns out way differently once I try to type it. Which is frustrating, but it's just a bump in the road I suppose. **

**Anyways. I want to say thank you to everyone that reviewed so far and left feedback to help me out. I appreciate it guys!**

**As always I hope you've enjoyed the story! Be sure to leave any feedback you may have and thanks for reading!**

**Results so far:**

**Harem- 2**

**Emi- 2**

**Rika- 2**

**Lily- 1**

**Hanako- 1**

**Suzu- 1**

**Miki- 1**

**Saki- 1**

**Rin- 1**


	5. Say No Evil

**A/N: I said it once and I'll say it again. I am truly surprised with all of the positive feedback I've been getting. I love it when I see everyone's reviews and it feels good to be able to create something people enjoy reading. It baffles me in a way.**

**Sorry if this is a bit late. I didn't have much time to write this past week, but with exams out of the way I'm sure it won't be as much as a problem anymore.**

**Katawa Shoujo was made by 4 Leaf Studios**

**Say No Evil**

Morning came too early for Hisao, and the sun did little to improve his mood. The morning light was an unwanted intruder in the room. No matter how much he wanted to fight it, he was up now. Worse, he was wide awake thanks to the dreaded ball of gases. He grumbled, cursing himself for not drawing the curtains closed the night before.

Minutes passed before he finally got out of bed. At first he didn't know where he was, until yesterday's memories came rushing back to him. He grimaced, turning towards his numerous medications, it was no wonder he felt terrible. It was very late when he finally got there, the exact time being lost to him.

He glanced towards his clock. Signing when he realized it was still fairly early, school didn't start for awhile now. Although he guessed that was a good thing. He still needed to visit the nurse after all. Once downing his morning pills with a glass of water he finally took a good look at his new room. His third room that year he was supposed to call his.

He scowled at such thoughts, he was still letting the past bring him down. It was maddening. He tore himself away from such thinking. It would do him no good to start the day negative like that. He was already tired.

The closet was sitting open, stocked with his clothing and a number of school uniforms as well. A note was pinned to the sleeve of one of the shirts. He knew exactly who it was from upon reading the first sentence.

_Hi Hicchan._ Hisao signed, that nickname will follow him wherever he went._ We've unpacked your things and made your bed._ He glanced at the disheveled mess of covers known as his bed. He was fairly certain it was made before he fell asleep._ They said that if these don't fit then you should go to the office tomorrow. If you have any problems, you can always call us. Love, Mom and Dad._

He set the letter down on his desktop and started putting on a uniform. It was strange reading it. He was still annoyed by the forced change, but at least he wasen't angry at them anymore. He felt like his time at the hospital was a lifetime ago, when in all reality it was not even a week since he was there. But now wasen't the time to dwell on such matters, it was time to start making his way to the nurse.

While walking out of the dormitories it occurred to Hisao that he didn't know where the nurse's office was.

_...Why does no one ever tell me about these things?_

* * *

Hisao turned back inside, hoping someone was awake to show him the right way. Although why anyone would be up at the time was beyond him. If it was up to him he would still be in bed. He walked past the common room, hearing muffled sounds through the door. Someone must be up. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, noticing there was only one person in there. The boy turned away from the TV and met his gaze. He wasen't wearing the school uniform, rather a simple pair of worn jeans and a tee-shirt. He had his black hair spiked in every direction and piercing coal eyes directed towards him. His gaze lost it fierceness upon noticing Hisao wasen't who he expected.

The boy smiled before walking over to Hisao, clasping his shoulder in a friendly manner before handing him a binder? He took it from him and stared at it.

"Hey sorry about the stare-off. I thought you were Tetsu or someone equally annoying. Coming to drag me off to class." The boy's hand-writing was very clear and easy to read. But the reason for it lead to some questions in Hisao's mind. Why was he using his writing to communicate? Was it apart of his condition? He turned to the boy. Who had an amused expression on his face, seemingly knowing what Hisao was thinking of. He gestured with his hands towards the binder. Obviously wanting it back. Upon getting it he started to flip to another page. Hisao noticed the large black binder was divided into separate parts with tabs. Words like "greetings" and "locations" were written on them. The boy handed the binder back to Hisao once a specific page was opened to. It was in the "explanations" tab. "Wondering about the ring binder right? It's fine, I get that a lot. I was born with the Broca's Area of my brain not developed properly. Couldn't talk a day in my life since I was born."

Hisao looked up at the young man in front of him, digesting what he heard. He couldn't think how someone managed to live with such a condition. It was an awful thought, to never be heard or able to voice your thoughts. Being forced to rely on your writing to get anything you want to say, but can't, known. It was depressing to even think about.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Hisao finally said, breaking a nearly suffocating silence. It seemed like the wrong thing to say. The boy narrowed his eyes before holding his hand out again. Knowing what he wanted Hisao handed it back to him, who once more flipped to a piece of paper in the same tab. He turned it towards Hisao, not handing it to him like he did before.

"Don't be. It's not anyone's fault I was born this way, if anything, I'm blessed to only get away with being mute. A lot worse could of happened." Tension filled the air between them. The boy simply looked at Hisao with a neutral expression, silently waiting for his response. Must be a sore subject to him if his attitude changed so quickly.

That all changed when the boy suddenly grinned widely and flipped to the back of the same page. "I'm kidding man. I get that all the time. But still don't worry about it. Name's Shinto. Nice to meet ya!"

Hisao relaxed. He thought he might have accidentally insulted him. Shinto was a born trickster it seemed. "Nice to meet you as well Shinto. I'm Hisao."

Shinto raised his eyebrow in response. Face impassive once more while he manipulated the binder to a specific page. "Oh? We just met and you're already so informal? Very disrespectful."

Coming from the guy who introduced himself first? Hisao was quick to retort. "You started the introductions. If anyone is to blame it's you."

A smirk was his only response. Shinto simply flipped to the "people" tab and pulled out a pen. Making a show about writing Hisao's name down. Seemed to him that he made his way into Shinto's vocabulary. He didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. Putting the pen back into his pocket Shinto turned his focus on Hisao, holding up the page with Hisao's name on it.

...Before flipping to another page with the words "You're an asshole" on it, amused with his own childish antics. Hisao himself chuckled, Shinto was definitely an odd one. Thankfully not as strange as Rin. Only mildly abnormal in comparison. "So Shinto. What are you doing up so early?"

"Watching TV." Shinto's writing replied. Flipping to another tab before continuing. "I don't sleep much really. And I can't just stay in my room doing nothing can I? I would practice, but I don't want to wake anyone up again. My neighbor is NOT a morning person (haha)."

"Practice?" Hisao inquired. He had to admit to himself, he was impressed by Shinto. The black-haired youth seemed to have everything he ever needed to say written down in that binder of his. It must have took him years to amass such a collection.

Shinto grinned again. Flipping to a tab marked Pride. "I play the bass. Have been since I was seven. I'm damn good if I say so myself." His grin widened with the last sentence. His muteness didn't bother him in the least, and it was amusing to him how Hisao acted uncomfortable with it.

"Well aren't you the model of modesty." Hisao said dryly. Getting over his discomfort with the casual talk. It still made no sense to him. How could someone just joke about that? Humor seems to be how everyone dealt with their problems there. It threw him off completely.

Back in his old school students complained and fussed over the pettiest of matters, himself included. Yet here, with disabilities that are truly problematic and deserving of being worried over, everyone brushed them off like they were of no real concern.

His musing was broken by a tap to his shoulder. He looked up at Shinto, who held up another page. "So what brings you to this place?" He skimmed through the binder. Looking for a certain page. Yet kept an eye on Hisao. Waiting for some kind of reaction. It was surprising how a simple question could cause him to freeze up.

There was no reason for him to freeze like that. Shinto told him about his muteness without even being asked. Yet he couldn't bring himself to say he had a bad heart. It felt like he was wallowing in self-pity. His voice was robbed from him and he couldn't form the words he wanted to say.

"Sore subject I take it?"

"No, it's not that. It's just...you know." Hisao signed in annoyance. He couldn't find the words with the right meaning, couldn't voice his thoughts to his associate.

Shinto nodded. Letting the subject drop, for which Hisao was grateful. "So what were you doing before we met?"

_Oh shit_ that's right. He still had to go see the nurse. "Speakin... I mean... while on the topic,. I have to make my way to the nurse's, but I don't know where it is. Where exactly do I go?"

"I know the way. Follow me I'll show you to it."

* * *

Hisao thanked him and they took off. The abnormal duo making their way across the school grounds to their destination. Shinto stopped at a smaller building right next to the school. For a moment Hisao thought it was actually a part of the main building. He turned to thank his mute guide before opening the door and walking in.

That is to say _tried_ walking in. A rather hard smack to the back of his head halted his motion. He turned to glare at Shinto, who unsurprisingly had another grin on his face. He held up the binder. "Had to get your attention. I would have told you to stop but I'm a pretty soft-spoken fellow." Hisao rolled his eyes as Shinto turned the page. "Anyways it's been fun. But I got to get going, don't want to be spotted out y'know?"He froze. Shadow looming over him before a voice called out.

"My my. If it isn't young Kuroppoi. Actually going to class today hmm?" A threateningly-sweet voice spoke behind him. Shinto turned and was face-to-face with the purple-haired nurse. Coffee in hand and looking at him with a bemused expression. It only seemed to terrify Shinto as he rapidly flipped through page after page.

"Nurse! What a pleasant surprise. I was actually on my way to go see you. I'm feeling ill you see and don't feel up to classes today."

The nurse tsked at him before responding. "You need new material Mr. Kuroppoi. You've used that on me seven times already. Seven times that ended with you in class I might add." Shinto was sweating now while the nurse grinned his famous fox-grin.

"Come on! Be reasonable here!"

"I'll be _reasonable_ when you actually _go to class_ on your _own _accord." The nurse's stressed words gave Hisao the impression that this happened quite often. The fact that Shinto had this all written down only strengthens such thoughts.

The nurse looked past Shinto to Hisao. apparently just noticing his presence. "Nice to see you actually made it to my office Nakai. At least someone takes responsibility." He ended his sentence with an accusing look towards Shinto.

"Hey!"

The nurse ignored his indignant writing. "Why don't you go inside? My office is to the left. The doors white with a green cross, can't miss it. I'll be in shortly, after having a little talk with Mr. Kuroppoi here."

With no other real option Hisao followed the nurse's suggestion. Sparing one last look at Shinto before leaving. He was holding up a page with "SAVE YOURSELF" written on it. Shinto himself had a strained expression, like he was acting tough in the face of danger. He gave off a chuckle at his melodramatic acting before entering the building.

* * *

Finding the office was easy enough. It was exactly how the nurse described it; white door with a green cross that had the text "Head Nurse" on it. He walked into the room and sat down in a vacant armchair near the desk, waiting for the nurse to be done. Sure enough after a few minutes the nurse walked in. Grinning mischievously before taking his seat behind the desk.

"Sorry about the wait." He took a sip of his coffee before continuing. "There's never a dull moment with Mr. Kuroppoi."

"What happened exactly?"

"What happens every time I catch him. I persuade him until he promises to attend class. He'll be in homeroom but after that he'll just ditch again." Nurse frowned. "He's a stubborn one alright."

"Persuade?"

"I have my ways. But back to why your here. Give me a moment." He put down his coffee and rummaged through his desk. Or rather the stacks of papers creating a mountain on his desk. "Lets see..." The nurse skims over the file. Going over it once more. "Cardiac dysrhythmia and related congenital heart muscle deficiency, right?"

"That's right."

* * *

Their meeting was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Nurse shouted. "I think that's everything. Just remember. Take your medication and get some light exercise and you'll be fine." Hisao nodded. That almost summarized the whole talk the nurse gave him.

"Nurse?" A voice called out softly behind Hisao. A female student, judging by her uniform, stood in the middle of the doorway. She had an ectomorph body type, tall and lean in appearance. With her long silver hair and stunningly red eyes she was truly a sight to behold.

She regarded him with slight curiosity before looking to the nurse. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"Not at all Miss Katayama. We just finished up our business. What do you need?"

"It's about my new medication. Since I started taking it I've had problems sleeping and... unusual dreams when I finally do sleep." The girl explained.

The nurse frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. I was hoping to see minimum side effects with the new pills but it seems I was wrong. Let me see if we have your old medication in storage. I'll be right back." The nurse stood up from his chair and made his way out of the room. The red eyed girl took a seat next to Hisao, looking at him with a strange expression. The nurse turned and smiled at the two students. "Don't do anything I wouldn't approve of when I'm gone OK you two? Especially you Hisao. We don't want a repeat of yesterday now do we?" The nurse laughed at Hisao's flushed face before disappearing through the door.

Silence filled the office while Hisao contemplated leaving - There was really no reason for him to stay any longer, yet he felt it would be rude to just leave the girl alone. Why was everyone comfortable with silence except him?

"So..."

"Hypoplastic left heart syndrome."

"I'm sorry?"

"My condition. It's the reason I am here. Or rather the new medication I was given for it is the reason." The girl said.

"You're very... forthcoming with your condition." Hisao replied slowly. Taking a moment to reflect on what he heard. It was unexpected to meet someone with a similar disability as his own.

"Is there a reason I shouldn't?" The girl's stare and accusing tone almost made him wince. It sounded like he offended her somehow.

"No no. Not at all. It's just that... I have a similar condition and am not nearly as comfortable with it as you are." The girl's eyes widened with the new information. Hisao was just as surprised as her. It was not even an hour ago when he found himself frozen in a similar situation. Yet here he was telling a stranger about his heart problem. He found himself continuing. "I have a heart problem. Arrhythmia."

The girl regarded him with curiosity. "So... we are the same... is what you're saying?" He may have imagined it but he could swear he heard an almost hopeful tone in her voice.

"I guess so. I'm Hisao Nakai. It's nice to meet you." Hisao felt... relieved almost for telling her his condition. Now that it was out in the open between them he felt at ease.

"I'm Rika Katayama. It's a pleasure to meet you as well Hisao." Rika paused, looking to mull over what to say next. "Are you new here?" She asked.

"Yeah. I just transferred in yesterday."

"What do you think of the school so far?"

"Well... it's a lot to take in. Everything here is so much different to what I'm use to. It certainly looks welcoming and the students hear are really pleasant people for the most part." He replied.

Rika nodded, expecting that sort of response. "I agree. Yamaku is a very peaceful place and everyone is proud to call it their school. You've actually arrived at a busy time – the festival is coming up and almost everyone is working hard preparing for it. Myself included."

"What do you do?"

Her voice had an almost prideful tone to it as she replied. "I'm the class representative for class 2-3. I coordinate the class's production of the stall. As well as managing it come time for the festival."

"Sounds like a lot of work."

"It is, but it's not too bad. I have it easy compared to the student council. The two of them have to build most of the stalls by themselves."

"Two?"

"It's unusual I know. But even with the amount of work between the two they still manage to get it down." She grimaced slightly. "Even if their actions are not the most popular."

"Just who's on the student council anyways?" Now Hisao was curious. The way she talked about 'unpopular actions' sounded like there was a story to be said.

The door opening interrupted their discussion. The nurse returned carrying two pill bottles – Rika's old medication it seemed. She stood up and took them from the nurse, thanking him and promising to return the other pills that caused problems.

"Just bring them in as soon as possible." The nurse took a sip of coffee before looking at the clock on the wall. "You two best hurry up to class. Homerooms start in ten minutes."

Rika glanced at the clock, confirming what the nurse said. "It appears so. It's been a pleasure Hisao but I must get going."

"Yeah I have to get to class as well. I'll catch you around, Rika."

She smiled. "That would be nice." And with that she turned to walk away.

"What about me?" The nurse mock-whined. "This is the thanks I get for helping you two? I'm hurt."

"Thank you nurse." Was his only reply as she walked out. Hisao following her lead did the same. The nurse signed. Kids these days have no respect for what he does.

**A/N: I wanted to get creative and add a OC in the mix. I think it turned out nicely but tell me what you think! Also sorry again for this being a little late and I hate to say this, but the next one will probably be late as well. So far I've been just writing this as I go with no real guidelines on how things should go. It's making it a little difficult to write like that so I plan on actually getting some kind of rough draft (bullets) to help straighten this out.**

**Special thanks to demando and Yellow 13 for helping me out with characters. That lead to the introduction of Rika as well as another character later on. As always I hope you've enjoyed the chapter! Be sure to leave any feedback you may have and thanks for reading!**

**Results so far:**

**Harem- 3**

**Emi- 2**

**Rika- 2**

**Hanako- 2**

**Lily- 1**

**Suzu- 1**

**Miki- 1**

**Saki- 1**

**Rin- 1**

**Harem is winning? Oh boy...**


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